EASTER EGGS

Of all the Easter Symbols, the egg, the symbol of fertility and new life, is the most identifiable. The customs and traditions of using eggs have been associated with Easter for centuries.

Originally, Easter eggs were painted with bright colors to represent the sunlight of spring, and were used in egg rolling contests or given as gifts. After they were colored and etched with various designs, the eggs were exchanged by friends and romantic admirers, much the same as valentines. In medieval time, eggs were traditionally given at Easter to the servants. In Germany, eggs were given to children along with other Easter gifts.

Different cultures have developed their own ways of decorating Easter eggs. Crimson eggs, to honor the blood of Christ, are exchanged in Greece. In parts of Germany and Austria, green eggs are used on Maundy Thursday. Slavic people decorate their eggs in special patterns of gold and silver.

Austrian artists design patterns by fastening ferns and tiny plants around the eggs, which are then boiled. The plants are then removed revealing a striking white pattern. The Poles and Ukrainians decorate eggs with simple designs and colors. A number of eggs are made in the distinctive manner called pysanki (to design, to write).

Pysanki eggs are a masterpiece of skill and workmanship. Melted beeswax is applied to the fresh white egg. It is then dipped in successive baths of dye. After each dip, wax is painted over the area where the preceding color is to remain. Eventually a complex pattern of lines and colors emerges into a work of art.

In Germany and other countries, eggs used for cooking were not broken, but the contents were removed by piercing the end of each egg with a needle and blowing the contents into a bowl. The hollow eggs were dyed and hung from shrubs and trees during Easter Week. The Armenians would decorate hollow eggs with pictures of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and other religious designs.

THE EASTER BUNNY

The Easter bunny has its origin in pre-Christian lore. The hare and the rabbit served as symbols of new life during the Spring season.

The bunny as an Easter symbol seems to have originated in Germany, where it was first mentioned in German writings in the 1500’s. The first edible Easter bunnies were made in Germany during the early 1800s. They were made of pastry and sugar.

The Easter bunny was introduced to American folklore by the German settlers, who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch area during the 1700s. The arrival of the Oschter Haws (Easter Bunny) was considered childhood’s greatest pleasure next to a visit from Christ-Kindel (Santa Claus) on Christmas Eve. The children believed that if they were good the Oschter Haws would leave a nest of colored eggs.

The children would build their nest in a secluded place in the home, the barn, or the garden. Boys would use their caps, and girls would use their bonnets to make the nests. The use of elaborate Easter baskets would come later as the tradition of the Easter Bunny spread throughout the country.

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